Jobs report shows mixed results in August for Rochester region

The Rochester metropolitan area economy experience a mixed August, with a gain in the number of non-farm jobs, but a decline in the number of private-sector jobs, the state Department of Labor reported Thursday.

Over the last year Rochester gained 200 non-farm jobs, not seasonally adjusted, while the private sector lost 800 jobs, or 0.2 percent. Non-farm jobs include both private sector and government jobs.

Rochester was the only region statewide with job losses in the private sector in August.

The Buffalo area added 5,000 non-farm jobs in the last year, or 1.1 percent, while its private sector added 6,400 jobs, or 1.4 percent. The Syracuse area added 3,100 non-farm jobs, or 1 percent, while the private sector added 2,500 jobs, or 1 percent.

In the 52-county Upstate New York region, non-farm job growth was 14,300, or 0.5 percent, while the private sector gained 19,300 jobs, or 0.8 percent. Statewide, some 120,400 non-farm jobs were added in August, or 1.4 percent, and the private sector added 126,800 jobs, or 1.7 percent.

From July to August the state gained 30,400 non-farm jobs, while the private sector gained 22,700 jobs, seasonally adjusted.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in New York last month was 7.6 percent, compared with 7.5 percent in July and 8.6 percent a year ago.

Non-seasonally adjusted data are valuable in year-to-year comparisons for the same month, for example, August 2012 versus August 2013, the Department of Labor has noted. When comparing different months, seasonally adjusted data provide the most valid comparison.

The educational and health services sector continued to lead the industries with job gains in August, having added 40,500 jobs since August 2012. The manufacturing sector, primarily in durable goods, led the sectors with the most job losses, shedding 11,100 jobs in the last year.